If you’re looking for a heart-warming, moving, feel-good and inspirational film, this is one for you.

I first became aware of the film having read the book on which it is based – We Bought a Zoo by Benjamin Mee. (I much prefer to have read the book before seeing the film adaptation, so I am pleased it worked this way round.) I found the book fascinating, and immensely touching. Here is the blurb:

An amazing true story that has inspired the major Hollywood motion picture this Christmas, to be repackaged for release alongside the film. We Bought a Zoo is about one young family, a broken down zoo, and the wild animals that changed their lives forever. When Ben [played by Damon] and his wife Katherine [played by Johansson] sold their small flat in Primrose Hill, upped sticks with their children and invested their savings into a dilapidated zoo on the edge of Dartmoor, they were prepared for a challenge and a momentous change in all their lives. With over 200 exotic animals to care for – including an African lion, a wolf pack, a Brazilian tapir and a jaguar – Ben’s hands, and those of his wife, children and tiny team of keepers, were full.

What they weren’t prepared for was Katherine’s devastating second brain cancer diagnosis. Ben found himself juggling the daunting responsibilities of managing the park’s staff and finances, while holding the bailiffs at bay and caring for his wife.

A moving and entertaining story of courage and a family’s attempts to rebuild a zoo, and carry on after Katherine’s tragic death.

I so admire the family’s courage and spirit in rescuing this zoo, and when I visited the zoo myself, I found it to be a wonderfully warm and friendly place, tucked away down winding lanes amid woods, where you can get really close to some beautiful creatures.

The film adaptation of the book is Americanised – with Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in the starring roles, and Dartmoor Zoological Park becoming ‘Rosemoor Wildlife Park’ set in California. But the heart of the story remains in essence the same, at once stirring and uplifting and inspirational, and also the kind of movie that requires a box of tissues within reach.

For me, the animals are the highlight of the movie. When I wrote Burning Embers, I so enjoyed thinking back to my time in Kenya and weaving a tale with the backdrop of the wonderful creatures that are native to that land. And in this film, I was drawn to the animals of the zoo, and the sense that they, along with the family, were the centre of the drama – the raison d’être of the piece.

I think what is most wonderful about this film is that it raises awareness of Dartmoor Zoological Park and its history, and in doing so hopefully encourages more people to visit and to support the Mee family and the animals they care for. What a wonderful testament to the hard work and bravery of a very special family.